San Francisco's defensive depth collapses as tackle Alfred Collins suffers a season-ending knee injury, leaving the Niners scrambling for replacements ahead of their high-stakes opener against the Rams.
When it rains, it pours. That's how the San Francisco 49ers' injury-plagued offseason has felt over the last few months.
Another 49ers star player suffered what appears to be a season ending injury. This time the player is on defense.
ESPN NFL insider Nick Wagoner broke down the crushing loss as the Niners get set to embark on their first road trip of the season to face the Los Angeles Rams in Australia. Here's what Wagoner had to share on the loss of their key defensive tackle, Alfred Collins.
"Coach Kyle Shanahan announced the injury Wednesday and confirmed that Collins will not return this year. That injury comes on the heels of defensive end Sam Okuayinonu landing on injured reserve with a broken foot that will require surgery over the weekend. ...
The Niners had big plans for Collins in 2026 after working him in as a rookie last season. Originally a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Collins played in 16 games last season, posting 17 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Collins was one of the heroes of San Francisco's Week 5 win against the Los Angeles Rams, forcing and recovering a fumble at the Niners' 1-yard line to help preserve a fourth-quarter lead.
With Collins out of the mix, the Niners will enter Thursday night's season opener against the Rams with C.J. West and rookie Gracen Halton as the only healthy options on the 53-man roster who can start next to fellow defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Undrafted rookie James Thompson Jr. is another possibility, but he has missed practice with a hamstring issue."
Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesCollins may not be a household name with the average NFL fan, but the die-hard 49ers fan probably had an idea of the impact he was set to make on the 2026 NFL season. The former five-star high school recruit broke out in his final season at Texas after morphing his physique from that of a defensive end to defensive tackle. Even so, Collins still retained that edge rusher caliber athleticism consistently finding himself unblocked in the backfield.
We won't know what Collins would ultimately have done if he stayed healthy. Still, it's tough to see yet another Niners player fall prey to injury.
In the positive, the 49ers are getting healthier on the offensive side. The team will hope for a smooth recovery for Collins as he hopes to get back with the Niners as soon as he can.
